


Starry Eyes and Galaxy Minds

by phloridas



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Getting Together, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Youtubers, Songfic, Swearing, slight loneliness, teenage phan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 20:43:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8592895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phloridas/pseuds/phloridas
Summary: Dan, Phil, and Dodie are all best friends, but Dan and Phil can quickly feel themselves falling for each other, much to the delight of Dodie the songwriting machine. Will a night spent stargazing lead to more? Or will the two boys be left in a jumble of feelings, unsure of how to express them?High school AU based on Freckles and Constellations by the lovely Dodie Clark.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I take no credit for the lyrics used in this, all credit goes to the brilliant Dodie Clark! I wish I could write lyrics as fantastic as hers. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!

Well, here it was. Friday night and fifteen-year-old Dan was lying on his bed with nothing but the white ceiling to keep him company. Of course, the familiarity didn't make it any less depressing.

He knew what he wanted to do. Every particle of his body was screaming at him to pick up his phone and text Phil, but all those same particles were screaming no just as loudly. Phil undoubtedly had other plans, something a lonely Dan could barely fathom. Maybe he could just scroll through the pictures of them together…

Just then, his phone dinged with a text message. Dan’s heart jumped as he sat up so fast, all the blood rushed to his head. Could it be that Phil was thinking of him right now, too?

But it was just Dodie, his other best friend. **Dan! Get off your ass and come over here! I’m getting ice cream with Phil and we both agree that it would be a thousand times better if you came along! Please?** Dan couldn’t help his mouth from twitching upward. Well, when she put it like that…

 **be there in 10** , he fired off, sliding off his bed to find some shoes before informing his parents and little brother that he was walking over to see Dodie and Phil. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all.

 

\---

Unseasonably warm April air kissed Dan’s cheeks as he ambled up to Dodie’s door, letting himself in as he knew the door was always unlocked. He waved hello to Hedy, who was watching TV, and continued up to Dodie’s room. Sure enough, there were Dodie and Phil, lounging on Dodie’s unmade bed. How Phil could nearly take his breath away with just a simple T shirt and a huge smile was a mystery to Dan, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

Dodie jumped up enthusiastically, rushing over to embrace the tall boy hovering in her doorway. “Dan! I’m so glad you’re here! I was just telling Phil that green jasmine is the best tea, and he says peppermint is better! Come on, back me up here!” Dodie widened her eyes in a pleading expression, and Dan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Sorry Phil, but I have to say Dodie wins this one. I mean, come on, nothing compares to green tea. Now, what’s this about some late night ice cream?” Dan asked, stomach rumbling loudly.

Phil opened his mouth to counter, but Dodie beat him to the punch. “Well, I’ve been really craving ice cream lately and Phil said it wouldn’t be right to go without you, so I texted you. And here you are! Now we can finally get food, yay!” She scooped up her purse and the two boys followed her out of the room.

After saying goodbye to her parents and Hedy, Dodie, Dan, and Phil stepped outside into the gorgeous spring night. The walk to the ice cream parlour seemed to take no time at all, as banter passed easily between the three chums, despite the butterflies that always seemed to make an appearance whenever Dan was with Phil. He had only met the floppy emo-haired nerd back in September, but he felt himself falling faster the longer he knew him. Everything about Phil was perfect, from his ice blue eyes to his unyielding gentle nature to the way he covered his mouth when he was happy or excited. Just being near Phil made Dan happier than anything and he hoped that no matter what happened, that feeling would never go away.

Once the happy group made it to the parlour and received their cones dripping with deliciously cold sweetness, they headed back outside so, according to Dodie, they could “fully enjoy the night--it’s seriously so beautiful, I can’t believe it!” Their laughs could be heard from the next block over, and a rare warmth vibrated through Dan’s entire body. These were the moments you lived for, even if it was just something as simple as getting ice cream with your two best friends in the entire world. Dan could never say it out loud, but he really was so grateful for these people.

“Dan, you’ve got some ice cream on your face, right here,” Phil giggled, pointing to the corner of his mouth. Dan blushed and dabbed a napkin to the corner of his lips. “Is it gone?”

“No, other side,” Phil corrected him. “Actually, here, let me get it.” He leaned over and swiped his finger along Dan’s dimple. Dan’s entire body lit up from the place where Phil’s finger grazed his skin. In what seemed like slow motion, Phil brought his finger back and popped it in his mouth, lips smacking in satisfaction. Dan wanted nothing more than to smash his lips onto those perfectly pink and inviting ones. Did that little shit know what he was doing?

Hours later, after Dan had returned home far too late, that moment still replayed over and over in his mind like that movie you couldn’t stop watching as a kid. Was Phil flirting with him? Being a couple years older, he already had some experience with guys, something Dan wasn’t quite lucky enough to get yet. But could he actually like someone as utterly uninteresting as Dan? Despite the countless questions zooming through his mind, he fell asleep that night with a smile on his face and a rare glimmer of hope deep in his heart.

 

\--

Oh no. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening again. What was _wrong_ with these idiots? A pair of lean footballers were striding Phil’s way, laughing after they had just pushed Dan’s books out of his hands and thrown the word “gaylord” into his red face. Phil’s chest filled with fire. He pushed through the throng of students and rushed over to Dan, crouching down to clean up the mess of papers scattered on the ground. He handed them over with nothing more than a soft glance into those cocoa eyes, hoping that would be enough to convey how sorry he was that this had to happen.

“Thanks,” Dan mumbled, quickly shifting his eyes downcast.

“No worries, Dan,” Phil replied in what he hoped was his most soothing tone. “Hey, those guys are assholes. You’re so much more important than they will ever be. Is everything alright?”

Dan sighed almost imperceptibly. “Eh, things could certainly be better. But don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Trust me, I’ve dealt with much worse.”

Phil couldn’t stand hearing those words come from Dan’s beautiful plump lips. He grabbed the last grey folder and handed it over, letting his hand squeeze Dan’s for just a moment, trying to transfer as much love as possible in those few seconds before letting go. “Well, if you ever want to talk about it, you know I’m always here, okay?” He pushed himself up against the cold lockers behind him, offering his hand again to Dan. He took it and Phil could swear he felt electricity course through his body.

“Thanks so much, Phil,” Dan murmured, eyes still cast downward. He took in a shaky breath and added, “I’ll see you later,” and let his long legs carry his hunched body quickly away from Phil. Dan’s body language broke Phil’s heart, but he couldn’t let anyone know. Phil was too soft for Dan--or for anyone, really. He’d just have to settle for giving Dan as much love as he could, regardless of whether or not it was requited. And so he set out for English, although it was pretty safe to say his mind was miles away from _Hamlet_. He settled for sending up all the good vibes he could muster, hoping with all his heart that they reached the enigmatic, brown-fringed boy. Right now, all that mattered was that Dan was okay--and Phil could see that dazzling smile again soon.

 

\--

“Dan! Dan Dan Dan!” Dodie rushed up to the slightly bemused mahogany-haired boy, bouncing up and down on her toes, a wide smile crisscrossing her face. “I wrote two new songs this week and they’re really really good and I really want you to hear them! Do you think you can come over tonight? I’m inviting Phil, too, of course.” The words tumbled out of her mouth like baby penguins waddling for the first time.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Dan replied, heart soaring at the mention of Phil. He was excited to hear Dodie’s new songs too, of course. She had such a great voice and songwriting style--they were really going to take her places.

“Yayyyy, thank you so much!” Dodie squealed, wrapping her arms around Dan impulsively. “I’ll see you after school, then!” And she danced off, leaving Dan’s heart a little lighter than before.

 

\--

“Okay guys, you’re the first two people to ever hear these songs,” Dodie divulged, eyebrows wiggling, guitar already propped under her chest. “How exciting is that?”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled,” Phil drawled, his teasing voice driving Dan wild.

“This is more exciting than Muse tickets, honestly,” Dan laughed, drumming his hands on the soft carpet underneath him.

“You take that back!” Phil shoved him, eyes full of mirth.

“Um guys, hello? I’ve got a song to play here?” Dodie directed their attention back to her with a wave at the guitar. “I’m really excited about this one, I think you’ll like it!” Her grin appeared to be infectious.

“Right, right, sorry Dodes, play away,” Dan apologized. Dodie’s grin grew even bigger as she turned her face back to the guitar and started picking out a few quiet, somber notes. Everything else was silent until she started singing, the sound like raindrops falling lightly against a windowpane.

 

 _What a strange being you are_  
_God knows where I would be_  
_If you hadn’t found me_  
_Sitting all alone in the dark_  
  
_A dumb screenshot of youth_  
_Watch how a cold broken teen_  
_Will desperately lean on a superglued human of proof_  
  
_What the hell would I be_  
_without you_  
  
_Brave face talk so lightly_ _  
_ Hide the truth

 _Now I’m sick of losing soul mates_  
_So where do we begin_  
_I can finally see_  
_You’re as fucked up as me_  
_So how do we win?_  
  
_I’m sick of losing soul mates_  
_Won’t be alone again_  
_I can finally see_  
_You’re as fucked up as me_ _  
So how do we win?_

 

The sheer amount of emotion in Dodie’s voice shook Dan to his core. Here was his best female friend, pouring her soul out to him and Phil. How could a human be capable of feeling this much? His heart swelled overwhelmingly.

 

_We will grow old as friends_

_I’ve promised that before_  
_So what’s two more?_  
_In our grey haired circle waiting for the end_  
  
_Time and hearts will wear us thin_  
_So which path will you take_  
_Cause we both know a break_  
_Does exactly what it says on the tin_  
  
_What the hell would I be_  
_without you_  
  
_Brave face talk so lightly_ _  
Hide the truth_

 

By now, the full meaning of the song had hit Dan like a grenade. Dodie had written about _them_ , and her friendship with the two of them. Dan had never been more grateful to have these people in his life than he was now.

 

 _Now I’m sick of losing soul mates_  
_So where do we begin_  
_I can finally see_  
_You’re as fucked up as me_  
_So how do we win?_  
  
_I’m sick of losing soul mates_ _  
Won’t be alone again_

 _I can finally see_  
_You’re as fucked up as me_  
_So how do we win?_  
_  
I won’t take no for an answer (I won’t take no for an answer)_

_I won’t take no for an answer (I won’t take no for an answer)_

_I won’t take nooo_

_I won’t take nooo_

 

With anyone else, the solitary call and response would sound wrong somehow. But with Dodie, it was utterly angelic. Dan couldn’t be prouder of his best friend.

 

_Cause I’m sick of losing soulmates_

_So where do we begin?_

_I can finally see_

_You’re as fucked up as me_

_So how do we win?_

 

_Yeah I’m sick of losing soulmates_

_Won’t be alone again_ _  
_ _I can finally see_

_You’re as fucked up as me_

_So how do we win?_

 

After some more finger-picked guitar notes, Dodie sighed and looked up, seeming to notice the boys for the first time. “So, uh, yeah. That was Sick of Losing Soulmates. And that’s my way of saying I just really really like you guys and I appreciate you a lot and...yeah.” Dodie shrugged, and both boys leaned over to give her a huge hug.

“We appreciate you too,” Phil mumbled into Dodie’s shoulder. “Don’t we, Dan?”

Dan merely nodded, barely squeaking out a “Yeah,” as the tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

“You guuuyyyysss,” Dodie gushed as soon as they had pulled away. “Thank you so much! And Dan, don’t cry, you’re going to make me cry too!” Tears were already welling up in her hazel eyes.

“Sorry,” Dan choked out, wiping his eyes with his jumper-covered hand. He glanced over at Phil, who looked stricken and scared all at once. “I’m fine guys, don’t worry,” Dan assured the two in a shaky tone. “I’m just not used to friends who care this much about me, I guess.”

“Don’t say that!” Phil gasped.

“What? It’s true,” Dan shrugged helplessly.

“That doesn’t make it any less awful! Dodie, please tell me your next song is a happy one,” Phil begged.

“Don’t worry, it is,” Dodie replied, leaning over to replace her guitar with her tiny ukulele. “I wrote this after seeing these two people flirting all the time and I thought it was really cute.” A smile twitched its way across her face, growing wider with every word. “Anyway, this one’s called Would You Be So Kind.” Some much happier notes floated out of the ukulele, soon joined by Dodie’s wonderfully expressive voice.

 

 _I have a question_  
_It might seem strange_  
_How are your lungs_  
_Are they in pain_  
  
_Cause mine are aching_  
_Think I know why_  
_I kinda like it_  
_You wanna try?_  
  
_Oh would you be_  
_So kind_  
_As to fall in love with me, you see_  
_I’m trying_  
_I know you know that I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_  
_Please fall in love_  
_I think it’s only fair_  
_There’s gotta be some butterflies somewhere (wanna share)_  
_Cause I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_ _  
Please fall in love with me_

 

Automatically, Dan’s body started swaying and a smile crept its way onto his face. Somehow, Dodie had captured exactly how he felt about Phil. It was both healing and heartbreaking at the same time.

 

 _I’ll write a story_  
_Be in my book_  
_You got to join me on my page_  
_At least take a look_  


_Oh would you be_  
_So kind_  
_As to fall in love with me, you see_  
_I’m trying_  
_I know you know that I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_  
_Please fall in love_  
_I think it’s only fair_  
_There’s gotta be some butterflies somewhere (wanna share)_  
_Cause I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_ _  
Please fall in love with meeeeeeeeee_

 

As Dodie got more into the song and sang a little vocalization part, Dan finally dared to glance over at Phil. Much to his surprise, he caught the boy’s ice blue eyes, only to discover that he was smiling just as hugely. Then, in what seemed like slow motion, Phil scooted closer to Dan so that their bodies were touching. Dan’s entire right side set on fire in the best way possible.

  
_Oh do me a favour_  
_Can your heart rate rise a little_  
_Do me a favour_ _  
Can your heart rate rise a little, oooooh ooooh_

 

Phil swayed back and forth against Dan, who couldn’t help but join him. Was this actually happening? Was Phil actually trying to tell him something? Or was he just getting into the music? Dan’s heart hammered in his chest, so loud that he was sure both his friends could hear it over the music.

 

 _Oh would you be_  
_So kind_  
_As to fall in love with me, you see_  
_I’m trying_  
_I know you know that I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_  
_Please fall in love_  
_I think it’s only fair_  
_There’s gotta be some butterflies somewhere (wanna share)_  
_Cause I like you_  
_But that’s not enough_  
_So if you will_ _  
Please fall in love with me_

 

Dodie set her ukulele on her lap, shrugging, completely unable to hide her massive grin. “Told you it was a lot happier! What do you guys think?”

“Dodie, if you keep writing songs like that, you’re actually going to change the world. I mean it,” Dan’s voice was completely sincere. He was constantly astounded by his best friend’s talent. It spilled out of her like paints on a palette. It was hard to believe she was just sixteen.

“I completely agree,” Phil added, shifting back to his original spot. Dan felt his heart shatter a little. He wanted to pull Phil back to him needily and never let him go. “I seriously can’t believe how talented you are. It blows me away every time.”

“You guys are too much,” Dodie gushed. “Thank youuu!” Her arms wrapped quickly around each boy separately and in those few seconds, Dan could feel so much love pouring out of both his and Dodie’s bodies.

They moved on to gossiping about their schoolmates then, talking until Hedy’s bedtime, then moving their conversation outside to the warm April air, talking until the wee hours of the morning when their voices finally grew raw. Dan felt the same way he did during their ice cream escapade the week before. He didn’t know what he would do without these people in his life. When he finally made it back into his cosy bed, it was with a permanent blissful smile and a light feeling in his heart.

 

\--

Phil loved the nighttime. The twilit sky dotted with stars, twinkling like they had some sort of secret, gave him a sense of security he couldn’t find elsewhere. Sitting here on Dodie’s roof with his two best friends in the world, Phil now knew what it felt like to be infinite. At the same time, though, his stomach buzzed with butterflies. Dan was right next to him, so close that Phil could just tilt his head slightly to the right and it would be resting on his shoulder. But Dan was so skittish. Phil couldn’t bear the possibility of scaring him away. He settled for holding onto this feeling of infinity as long as possible.

A long stream of air blew out of Dodie’s nose, breaking up the silence. “How is this even real? Like, how are we lucky enough to live in a world as beautiful as this? I feel like we don’t deserve it,” she mused quietly.

“It really is something,” Phil agreed, turning to his left to study Dodie’s expression. She was the picture of tranquility, arms wrapped around her knees and long brown hair spilling down her back. Dan, on his other side, appeared just as calm, face turned towards the sky in pure wonder. Phil felt starstruck by his beauty. His breath hitched and suddenly, in his mind’s eye, he and Dan were floating away, free of all gravitational restrictions, dancing from cloud to cloud, far away from any of their problems. He blinked and the image dissolved, replaced by only a sad longing and a desperate urge to kiss Dan. Maybe if Dodie left them alone for a bit…

Seemingly reading his mind, Dodie suddenly pushed up on the roof, standing up and stretching. “You know what I just realized would make this perfect? Some tea! Would you guys like any?”

“Yeah, sure,” both boys replied in unison, making them all laugh.

“Alright! Three bulk standards, coming right up!” And she slithered back through the window, leaving Dan and Phil thoroughly alone. Immediately, Phil’s heart rate sped to that of a Japanese bullet train.

“What are you thinking about?” Phil’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Just...the universe. Everything. How we’re so tiny and insignificant compared to all of existence. How life is just meaningless, but that makes it all the more crucial that we seize every moment of it. You,” Dan added at the last second, mahogany eyes flicking up to Phil’s blue-green and slightly yellow ones.

Phil couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did Dan actually…? His gaze flicked down to Dan’s plump pink lips, parted slightly. Before Phil knew what was happening, his hands flew to Dan’s face, soft and warm, and suddenly, their lips were colliding. It was the most amazing thing Phil had ever felt, a lunar eclipse where skin met skin. Never in his seventeen years of life had Phil had a moment quite like this. After a moment of surprise, Dan kissed back hungrily, filling Phil’s head with static. It was utter bliss until Dan finally pulled away, starry eyes gazing at Phil in a way they never had before. Phil’s mind was suddenly filled with possibilities as wide as the galaxy. Was this what it felt like to be in love?

“That was...wow. I don’t even know what to say. Thank you, Phil. But what are we supposed to tell Dodie when she gets back?” The stars in Dan’s eyes flickered out, replaced by apprehension.

“We don’t have to say anything. She knows this was going to happen sometime.” Phil’s voice was softer than silk. “And besides,” his tone dropped low, “I’m one hundred percent sure Would You Be So Kind is about us.”

“How do you know?” Dan whispered, a tiny gasp escaping his lips.

“I felt it in there. Didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” Relief flooded Dan’s face, a bright moon overtaking his previous darkness. He slumped against Phil, head on his shoulder and fingers slowly intertwining with Phil’s own. The gesture nearly made Phil explode with euphoria. Here was the boy who was too afraid to even brush hands, now completely giving himself up to Phil. He couldn’t possibly express how much that meant to him.

And so they remained, heads on shoulders, enjoying each other’s softness, eyes gazing back at the dazzling display that nature had set out before them. Pure calm flowed throughout Phil’s body and he knew the feeling was mutual. The night spread out endlessly before them, unbreakable by even a supernova, a cosmic wonderland of lust. In this moment, Phil had everything he could ever want. His heart soared over the buildings, past the streets, past all of Essex and into infinity. All he could do was savour this moment, praying that it would last. He had a happy Dan in his arms and an equally joyful Dodie in his heart--and right now, that was all that mattered.


End file.
